What is Egyptian cotton?
Egyptian cotton bed linen is strong, light, breathable and durable with a high thread count. This is a luxurious fabric which is why we use it in our scooms luxury bed linen. Find out why Egyptian cotton is the best type of cotton in the world and the top ten reasons why you should choose Egyptian cotton for your luxury bed sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases, as well as for your towels, in our in-depth guide.
- What is Egyptian cotton?
- Is Egyptian cotton the same as 100% cotton?
- What thread count is Egyptian cotton?
- What's the best Egyptian cotton bedding?
- Is Egyptian cotton the best for sheets?
- Are Egyptian cotton towels the best?
- Where to buy high quality Egyptian cotton bedding?
Plus, Egyptian cotton top 10 facts.
What is Egyptian cotton?
Egyptian cotton comes from a different plant (Gossypium Barbadense) to regular cotton so it has different properties. Egyptian cotton has extra long fibres which can produce thread or yarns that are thinner and smaller in diameter yet stronger than other cottons. This means that more threads can be used, creating a luxurious fabric with a high thread count. It is a higher quality raw material used in the best bedding sets.
Egyptian cotton is grown in Egypt and it’s the climate in Egypt that helps the longer staples (fibers) to grow. The yarn can however be exported to other manufacturing regions like India, China and the USA where it is woven into cloth.
Is Egyptian cotton the same as 100% cotton?
Authentic Egyptian cotton is 100% cotton but not all cottons are Egyptian! As discussed above, Egyptian cotton comes from a different variety of cotton plant to normal cotton which means it has different characteristics to regular cotton.
What thread count is Egyptian cotton?
Thread count is the number of threads that are woven together per square inch of material. The more threads woven together equals a higher thread count. Egyptian cotton can come in a range of thread counts, typically from 200 to 800.
We picked 600 thread count for our scooms satin-weave bed linen. It gives scooms sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases a dense and silky-soft feel. Having tested lots of bedding sets we made our Egyptian cotton bedding to be the most luxurious bedding there is for your perfect nights sleep. We also only use 100% Egyptian cotton in our towels. See our Egyptian cotton towel guide to find out more.
What's the best Egyptian cotton bedding?
First, make sure the bed linen really is 100% pure and authentic Egyptian cotton. Check the label carefully. Some bedding can be produced with a mix of Egyptian cotton and lower quality cotton but still called Egyptian cotton. Read the bed linen label to make sure it is 100% certified Egyptian cotton.
Look for the Egyptian cotton mark:
Secondly, decide which type of weave you want. Percale and satin-weave are both good quality weaves. Percale is a closely woven plain-weave with a thread count of 200 or higher. It produces medium weight bedding which is crisp, firm and smooth without gloss. Satin-weave, which we use in our Egyptian cotton bedsheets is a one-yarn-under and three-yarn-over weave which leaves greater thread surface exposed. This gives a silky-soft feel and lustrous appearance.
Thirdly, choose your thread count. Good thread count generally ranges from 200 to 800 and will vary in cost. We’ve chosen 600 thread count for scooms bed linen as it’s warmer, softer, more durable and feels wonderfully indulgent!
Is Egyptian cotton the best for sheets?
Yes, we think so! Egyptian cotton sheets are comfortable, breathable, durable and get softer with every wash. What more could you want! Buy the best Egyptian cotton bed sheets that will last and improve over time; they're a great investment. See our Egyptian cotton top ten facts below for all you need to know about Egyptian cotton.
Are Egyptian cotton towels the best?
Egyptian cotton towels are the best luxury bath towels! It's the long and fine fibres of Egyptian cotton that produces the most luxurious towels if used in both the towel pile and ground, not just the pile. (Check the care label to make sure.) These long loops in the Egyptian cotton fabric provide greater surface area for water absorption.
Look for an Egyptian cotton towel with high GSM. Over 700 GSM will give you a plush, fluffy and thick towel. Our scooms Egyptian cotton towels have super high 720 GSM, making our towels thick and cosy. We also comb the Egyptian cotton in our towels for extra softness and breathability.
Find out more - Why are Egyptian cotton towels better?
Where to buy high quality Egyptian cotton bedding?
Egyptian cotton top 10 facts:
- Grown in Egypt - Egyptian cotton is only authentically Egyptian if it comes from the plant Gossypium Barbadense, is grown in Egypt and is certified Egyptian cotton. It’s the climate in Egypt that enables the longer staples / fibers to grow which can then be spun into extra-fine threads.
- Hand picked - It’s hand picked which puts less stress on the fibres so they remain straight and intact, as well as being stronger and more resistant to stress.
- Stronger - The very fine longer length yarns result in stronger and softer cotton, with less splices than regular cotton, giving a higher thread count.
- Finer and softer - Finer threads per square inch produce a finer and more consistent finish resulting in a softer, more flexible and pleasantly draping fabric.
- More breathable - High breathability and sweat wicking as the fabric is more porous allowing more air to pass through. Helping you to sleep better if you are a hot sleeper.
- Durable - Softer, finer and lasts longer than other cotton fabrics. It’s worth investing in as if properly cared for bed linen produced from Egyptian cotton can last for decades.
- Colourfast - The high level of purity gives it the ability to absorb liquids giving stronger, brighter and more resistant colours.
- Resists pilling - It doesn’t produce a lot of lint which means it can resist pilling or “surface balling” after repeated washings, unlike other cottons or blended Egyptian cottons.
- Improves with age - Egyptian cotton bed linen will soften each time you wash it unlike most bed linen and become more comfortable to sleep with the more you use it.
- Money saving - A great investment! Good quality bedding and towels are more resistant to wear and last longer. Buy good quality, buy once! Buy poor quality, buy two, three or even four times!
Top Egyptian cotton FAQS:
What is Egyptian cotton?Unlike other cottons, Egyptian cotton has extra long fibres which produces thread or yarns that are thinner and smaller in diameter yet stronger than other cottons. What is the difference between cotton and Egyptian cotton?Egyptian cotton comes from a different variety of cotton plant to normal cotton which means it has different characteristics to regular cotton. It is stronger, finer and more durable than other cottons. Is Egyptian cotton better?Yes, the very fine longer length yarns result in stronger and softer cotton, with less splices than regular cotton, giving a higher thread count resulting in a finer and more flexible fabric, creating the best bed sheets. Egyptian cotton bed sheets - are they the best?Yes, the best 100% Egyptian cotton sheets are the best bed sheets you can buy. They are incredibly long-lasting and feel better with use and with each wash. What styles of Egyptian cotton pillowcases do you make?Scooms make Oxford pillowcases which has a fabric border around the edge. |
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